Sealing machine



Dec. 12, 1933. c. T. BRARE N SEAL-INC: MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledDec. 11, 1950 INVENTOR 1 444 ATTORNEY- C. T. BRAREN SEALING MACHINE 7Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.- 11, 1950 INVENTOR 1W. man/W 4.1

ATTORNEYS C. T. BRAREN SEALING MACHINE 11, 1930 TSheets-Shet 3 FiledDec.

ATTORNEYS INVENTOR M 7% BY W,

c. T. BRAREN.

SEALING MACHINE Dec. 12, 1933.

Filed Dec. 11, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR CWWLM'M rm BY ATTORNEY5 C.T. BRAREN SEALING NLQQHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 12,1933. I c. BRAREN 1,938,654

SEALING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 MIMI/17%?) 4/ J8ZJ' INVENTOR W 1. W

BY M M MI d? ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 12, 1933 PATENT OFFICE SEALINGMACHINE Cornelius T. Braren, Jamaica, N. Y., assignor, by mesneassignments, to Standard-Knapp Corporation of New York ApplicationDecember 11, 1930 Serial No. 501,513

'10 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for closing and sealing cartons,particularly cigarette cartons containing ten packages of cigarettes andof the type described in my co-pending application filed concurrentlyherewith, directed to a machine for filling such cartons with ten packsof cigarettes arranged in two rows of five each. This application isSerial No. 501,511, filed December 11, 1930, entitled Cigarette packingmachine.

Cartons filled by that machine, and closed and sealed by the machine ofthe present application, are narrow pasteboard boxes of rectangularcross section with four flaps on the open side, which flaps by theoperation of the present machine are folded inwardly upon the charge ofcigarettes and then sealed by the application of a label which isattached to the end of the package, then laid over the folded flaps 20and pressed down against the other end of the package.

The machine of the present application may be timed to operate insequence with the carton filling machine and a suitable transfermechanism may be provided to transfer the filled cartons from onemachine to the other. No such mechanism is, however, disclosed in thepresent application, as it will be assumed that the cartons as deliveredonto the delivery chute of the machine of our co-pending applicationwill be transferred one at a time by hand and placed in position to beengaged by the feed conveyor of the present machine.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a machinefor performing the operation above described, which may be operated at ahigh rate of speed without damage to the cartons or their containedpackages, and which will uniformly and continuously produce a properlyfolded and completely sealed package.

In the preferred embodiment of the machine as shown in the accompanyingdrawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of the machine on an enlargedscale, certain parts being shown in section on line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in section looking downward on the line 33of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6-11 are detail views showing the operation of the pneumatic feedmechanism for the label strip by means of which the package is sealed;

Figs. 12-15 inclusive are detail views in longitudinal section showingthe operation of folding the label about the carton; and

Fig. 16 is a detail view in perspective showing one step in the labelingoperation.

Referring to the drawings, the machine as a whole comprises a framehaving a main bed plate 1 along which the carton is advanced during theclosing and sealing operation, with suitable upwardly projecting anddownwardly depending parts for supporting the various instrumentalitiesof the machine. The carton is advanced along the bed plate 1 by a feedconveyor 2 comprising parallel chains extending along the bed platebetween feed sprockets 3 and 4, respectively, which are continuouslydriven from the shaft 5 of the driving motor through a train of reducinggears indicated generally at 6.

The sprockets are spaced apart a. distance substantially greater thanthe width of the cartons. The cartons are advanced and maintained inproper position with respect to the flap-folding and labeling devices bymeans of flights '7 which extend across the table from chain to chain.These flights 7, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 4, compriseU-shaped members having their ends turned outwardly and terminating inpins 8 which are journaled in the links of the conveyor chains. Rollers9 are mounted on the outer face of each of the side members of theflights, these rollers resting on the top of the table, therebymaintaining the flights in horizontal position as the conveyor chainmoves along the bed plate.

The open ends of the side members of the flights are spaced apart adistance somewhat greater than the width of the cartons, while theportions adjacent he cross bar of the flights are thickened, as shown inFig. 4, so as to provide a pocket of substantially the dimensions of theend of the carton with an intermediate shoulder 9a. This shoulder isinclined as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, to provide a cam surfacefor causing the flight to be positively deflected out of the path ofmovement of the cartons, as will be later described.

In its advance across the bed plate 1 of the machine, the flaps of thecarton are folded down in succession, the advancing. front flap beingfirst folded by a stationary folder 10 of usual construction. After thecarton has been advanced partially under the stationary folder 10 therear end flap is folded by a pivoted folder 11 mounted on a bracket 12projecting upwardly from the frame along side of the path of travel ofthe feed chain.

The folder is mounted for oscillation on a fixed shaft 13 which projectsover the path of movement of the carton, the shaft being rocked by acrank arm having a connecting rod 14 which extends rearwardly to a camrocker 15 pivoted on the superstructure 16 of the machine frame inposition to be engaged by an operating cam 17 mounted for continuousrotation in the superstructure. The folder 11 operates to fold the rearflap down flat just as it reaches the stationary folder 10 so that thefolder 10 will hold both flaps folded during the continuous advance ofthe carton.

The rear end of the folder 10 terminates in a pointed end 18 projectingbetween two plowshare folders 19 and 20, which serve to fold down theside flaps one after the other. To this end the point 18 of the folder10 is not symmetrical with respect to the two sides of the machine, buton the side opposite the folder 18 has a greater taper than on the sideopposite the folder 20. Also the folder 19, which is shaped to the sameangle as the adjacent side of the point of the folder 10, projectsrearwardly to a greater extent than the folder 20 and consequentlyengages the side flap on that side of the carton and folds it inwardlyin advance of the other side flap. The carton with its flaps thus foldedadvances under the upper guide plate 21, whose under side lies in thesame plane as the under side of the flap folders, and between the sideguides 22 whose ends are turned outwardly to engage the advancing cartonand center it accurately during its further advance through the machine.

As the carton emerges from beneath the upper guide plate 21 its endengages the depending end of the freshly gummed label strip and in thecontinued advance of the carton the label strip is smoothly applied tothe end of the carton. is then laid across the top face of the cartonand finally folded down against the rear end by the mechanism which willnow be described.

The label strips are carried by a magazine 23 supported on thesuperstructure 16 and provided with a label feed mechanism adapted towithdraw the bottom label from the stack and advance it past thepaste-applying rolls downward into position for its depending edge tolie just above the bed plate of the machine and in position to beengaged by the advancing carton.

The magazine comprises an open-top box of proper dimensions to containthe labels. The box is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation through alimited distance, for a purpose which will be presently described. Thefront of the box at the end through which the labels are withdrawn isformed of vertical slats 34 depending from the upper cross bar 35 of themagazine structure. Between the slats 34 a third vertical member 36 isprovided, which member is adjustably supported on a bracket 37 extendingacross the front of the magazine and has its lower end shaped to provideslightly inturned spring fingers adapted to engage under the end of thebottom label so as to prevent more than one label being withdrawn fromthe magazine by the action of the label-feed mechanism.

This label feed. mechanism comprises primarily a suction roller 24adapted to engage the leading end of the bottom-most label in themagazine and by its rotation turn the end downward into position to beengaged by the feed belts 25 which feed the label past thepaste-applying mechanism and into position to be applied to the package.The suction roller 24 is oscillated by the reciprocating movement of thelabel magazine and the mechanism for reciprocating the magazine isactuated from the driving shaft of the sprocket 3 through a stopmechanism shown in Fig. 1, controlled by the movement of the cartonthrough the machine to stop the operation of the label-feeding devicesin the event no carton is presented to receive the gummed label. Thismechanism will be described later.

In the present description it will be assumed that the cartons are beingfed to the machine in continuous sequence. The suction roller 24 has ahollow axle communicating with a line of perforations 26 through whichthe suction is applied to the end of the label. One end of the roller isjournaled in a hollow hearing, as shown in Figs. 811 inclusive, whichbearing 2'7 is shaped to maintain the suction in the roller in thedesired interval of time and to cut off the suction and open the rollerto the atmosphere when it is desired to strip the label from the roller.The hollow bearing is connected by a hose or pipe 28 with a suction pump29 (see Fig. 2) the plunger of which is operated by a cam 30 on theshaft 31 of the sprocket 3. The cam is so shaped as to apply the suctionto the line 28 during the interval that the hose is connected to theroller 24 through the ports in the bearing 27.

In front of the suction roller 24 are a pair of strippers 32 whosedown-turned ends serve to pass between the lowermost label as drawn outof the magazine by the suction roller and guide its advancing end intothe bight of the feed belts.

In the operation of feeding the label from the bottom of the stack, themagazine is at its rearmost position at the time the line ofperforations in the suction roller comes uppermost and the suction isapplied. As the magazine is shifted forwardly the suction roller beginsto turn and thus draws the end of the bottom-most label downwardly andcarries it forward under the strippers 32, the magazine as a whole beingshifted forwardly at a rate'of speed corresponding with the forwardmovement of the label under the action of the suction roller. Thesuction is maintained through the roller for a sufficient portion of itsrotation to insure the label being well advanced under the inclinedstrippers 32. After the suction is broken by the suction port 37' in thehollow shaft, passing out of registry with the port 38 in the hollowbearing, and into registry with the port 39 which opens to theatmosphere, as indicated in Fig. 10 the label will of its naturalresiliency spring back against the under side of the guides 32, and asthe movement of the magazine continues the leading end of the label willbe thrust into the bight o the feed belts.

The feed belts are preferably narrow rubber bands, as shown in sectionin Fig. 3, and are arranged to engage the edges of the label and advanceit past the pasting rollers in a position to be applied to the package.The feed belts 25 which are on the side of the path of travel of thelabel away from the magazine, are supported at their upper ends by agrooved pulley- 41 whose periphery lies immediately adjacent andsubstantially tangential to the downwardly inclined portions of thestripper plates. The other feed belts 42 lie in grooves near the end ofa large feed roller or pulley 44 carried by-a shaft extending across thesuperstructure of the machine beneath the suction roller and drivencontinuously whenever the machine is in operation. This roller 44 liesimmediately under the small pulleys 41 which carry the feed belts sothat the feed belts 25 and 42 follow the periphery of the pulley 41 andfurnish a positive feed for the label strip around the strippers 32 tothe pasteapplying roller 45.

The roller is driven continuously when the machine is in operation, andthe shafts of the rollers 44 and 45 are geared together for synchronousoperation. The paste roller 45 is mounted in the paste tank 47 so thatits periphery dips in the paste in the tank, the surplus being scrapedoff by a doctor blade 48 mounted in the usual manner to engage theperiphery of the paste roll. As shown in Fig. 3, the paste roller isdeeply grooved to permit free passage of the feed belts 42.

The feed belts are spaced apart a distance somewhat less than the widthof the labels so that the labels will receive a stripe of gum or pastealong the middle of the label and also at each edge, as will be evidentfrom Fig. 3. The rollers 44 and 45 are alsoprovided with a third grooveto receive a stripper finger projecting upwardly from the forward lip ofthe paste tank to insure the labels being stripped off the paste roller.Beneath the rollers 44 and 45 the belts extend downwardly around theguide rods 49, as shown in Fig. 5, which serves to hold the feed beltstight and direct the projecting end of the label as it is fed forward bythe belts into proper position with respect to the advancing package.

The roller 41 which constitutes the supporting and driving roller forthe belt 25, is supported in pivoted brackets 50 and is maintained inyielding contact with the pulley 44 by means of springs 51 adjustablysupported at each end of the roller 41 between the brackets 50 and afixed stop 52 projecting upwardly from the journals of the suctionroller, as shown in Fig. 5.

The label-feeding and pasting mechanism is operated from the drive shaft31 by means of a sprocket chain 53 which leads to a sprocket wheel 54fixed to the shaft 55 of the paste roller'45. This shaft and the pasteroller are driven continuously whenever the machine is in operation.This shaft also carries the cam 17 which operates the pivoted folder 11so that these parts also are operated continuously. The shaft 56 of themain pulley 44 of the feed belts 42 is driven continuously from theshaft 55, but the cam 63 which effects the reciprocation of the labelmagazine is driven intermitently through a stop mechanism controlled bythe carton in its passage through the machine so that should no cartonbe present in the machine the feeding mechanism will stop and willremain stopped until the carton is supplied. This driving mechanismcomprises a gear 57 fast on the shaft 56 of the belt pulley 44 andcontinuously driven through a similar gear fixed to the shaft 55 of thepaste roller.

The shaft 56 has attached to it a notched disk 59 for cooperation with apawl 58 spring-pressed toward the notched disk and carried by a diskattached to the cam 63 which is loose on the shaft. A rock arm 60 isattached to a shaft 61 extending across the superstructure frame abovethe belt pulleys and also attached to the shaft 61 is a stop arm 62having a hooked end adapted when the shaft 61 is rocked, to be projectedinto the path of the. pawl 58 and thereby withdraw the pawl fromengagement with the disk 59, and allowing the disk 59 and the shaft 56to continue their rotation while holding the pawl 62 with its attachedparts stationary. Thus the cam 63 which operates the mechanism forreciprocating the label magazine will be held against movement and asthe movement of the magazine operates the suction roller, all parts ofthe labelfeeding mechanism will be stopped when the rock arm 60 isrocked to stop the machine.

The magazine is reciprocated by the cam 63 through a rocking sector 64whose toothed end meshes with a pinion 65 attached to a shaft extendingacross the superstructure of the frame beneath the magazine. Alsoattached to the shaft of the pinion 65 is a gear 66 meshing with therack 67 attached to the bottom of the magazine, a spring 68 serving toreturn the magazine to its rearmost position and thus maintain the camroller of the sector 64 in engagement with the cam. The movement of themagazine oscillates the suction roller 24 by means of a rack 69 attachedto the magazine, and meshes with a pinion fixcd to the shaft of thesuction roller.

The rock arm 60 is actuated by the moving cartons by means of a rock arm70 attached to a rock shaft extending across the main frame beneath thepath of travel of the carton conveyor. This rock arm 70 is connected tothe rock arm 60 by a suitable link and mounted on the shaft of rock arm'70 in a position immediately beneath the path of travel of the cartons,is an arm 72 whose projecting end underlies a pivoted dog 73 whose upperend projects through a slot '74 in the bed plate of the machine intoposit-ion to be engaged by the edge of the advancing cartons and presseddownwardly, thereby rocking the shaft, rock arm '70 and with it the arm60 and shaft 61 to shift the stop arm 62 out of engagement with the pawl58 so that the toothed end of the pawl will be engaged by the drivingnotch in the disk 59 and the cam 63 thereby rofated in unison with thedisk 59 through one complete revolution of the shaft 56.

The dog 73 is so positioned with respect to the path of travel of thecartons that the end of the label will be projected by the feed belts inposition to be engaged by the advancing end of the carton as the latteris moved forward by the continuously moving carton conveyor. As the feedbelts continue their movement the label will be fed downwardly at justthe rate that the box is advanced to spread the label smoothly over thetop of the box, thereby sealing the outside longitudinal flaps of thebox together and forming a tight closure for the carton.

To smoothly apply the label to the end of the carton there is provided alabel-applying arm attached to the rock shaft 81 extending across themachine frame beneath the carton-feeding conveyor. in the bed plate ofthe machine and is provided at its upper end with a roller in positionto engage the outer face of the label near the upper edge of the boxend. On continued movement of the box the roller 82 moves downwardlyover the label in contact with the box end and is then withdrawn throughthe slot in the table to allow the carton to continue its forwardmovement. The rock arm 80 is spring-held toward the box by a suitablespring 83 and is withdrawn from engagement with the box by means of acam 84 fast to the main driving shaft 31. The cam 84 engages a camroller attached to a link 85 pivoted to an arm attached to the rockshaft 81, the link being supported at its inner end by a fork resting onthe shaft 31.

This arm curves upwardly through a slot.

The parts of the machine are so timed that the end of the box willengage the roller 82 and tend to rock the arm against the tension of thespring 83, just before the movement of the arm 80 under the influence ofthe cam begins, but when the roller reaches the bottom comer of the boxthe cam will come into positive operation and withdraw the rollercompletely from the path of travel of the box, as shown moreparticularly in Figs. 13 and 14.

As the carton continues its advance it comes under a brush 86 which israpidly rotated in a direction away from the path of travel of the boxso as to smooth the label over the top of the box. After passing therotating brush the boxes pass under a stationary brush 88 which servesto further press the label into engagement with the box top and alsoserves to hold the label for a brief period while drying, as will belater described.

The rotating brush 86 serves also to smooth the rear end of the labeldown over the rear end of the carton. To this end the roller is carriedby a pair of swinging brackets 90 which are periodically oscillated by acam 91 on the main driving shaft 31 to cause the brush to drop downbehind the carton as the latter reaches its position of rest under thestationary brush 88 and thereby wipe the label down firmly against theend of the carton, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The swinging brackets 90are mounted on suitable pivots one of which is indicated at 92 onopposite sides of the stationary brush 89 and one of the brackets isprovided with a cam roller 93 resting directly on the cam 91, the weightof the brackets and attached parts being sufficient to maintain the camroller and cam in engagement.

The brush 86 is continuously rotated by a small electric motor 95supported on one of the brackets 90 and belted directly to the shaft ofthe rotating brush.

Means are also provided for positively releasing the carton from thecarton-conveyor at the proper time to stop in co-operating position withthe rotating brush 86. To this end the side guides which lie on eachside of the path of movement of the box beneath the brush 88 areprovided at their forward ends with rollers 97 adapted to engage the camfaces 9a on the carton-engaging member '7 and press the latter down outof engagement with the rear end of the box in advance of the movement ofthe brush 86, as clearly shown in Figs. 14 and 15.

The bed plate of the machine is slotted at this point as shown at 98 topermit the carton-engaging member 7 to swing down on its pivot betweenthe sprocket chains and beneath the bed plate, and in the movement ofthe members 7 back toward the rear of the machine the members 7 hangdownward, as shown in Fig. 1 with the rollers 8 resting on channelguides 99 provided for that purpose beneath the table.

After the carton comes to rest under the tionary brush 88 and it isreleased by the conveyor as just described, it will remain in thatposition until engaged by the next carton and forced forward along thebed plate of the machine, whence it is removed by hand or a deliveryconveyor or the like. The end of the label at the rear of the box isspun down against the end of the carton by the rapidly rotating brush 86which, however, does not in its downward movement come low enough tosmooth the end of the label. This, however, is unnecessary for theadvancing end of the next carton presses the label firmly against theend of the carton sta- 4 so that by the time the carton is ejected frombeneath the brush 85 the label will be stuck to the carton throughoutits entire area.

If no carton should be present on the bed plate of the machine inposition to be engaged by the flight '7 as it passes along the bedplate, the dogs '73 will not be depressed and consequently the labelfeed mechanism will not be actuated to withdraw the label from themagazine and direct it into the bight of the feed belts. The feed beltsand the paste roller operate continuously Whenever the machine is inoperation, thereby preventing the paste drying on the roller or stickingto the belts, as would otherwise be the case. The cam 63, however,remains at rest unless the carton depresses the trip 73 and consequentlythe magazine is not reciprocated and the suction roller is notoscillated to feed the label out of the magazine.

In the foregoing specification I have described in detail an embodimentof the machine which has been found satisfactory in practical operationand one which is particularly adapted to be operated at high speedwithout danger of injury to the box or detract from the quality of thework, but it is to be understood, however, that my invention is notlimited to the precise details of construction herein shown anddescribed, as these may be modified within considerable limits withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a carton-closing machine, the combination of means forcontinuously advancing a carton having upstanding flaps, means forclosing the carton flaps as the carton is advanced, means for applying asealing strip over the top of the carton to thereby seal the closedflaps, means for applying the sealing strip against the end of theadvancing carton and thence across the top of the carton over the closedflaps, said means comprising a strip-feeding device adapted tointermittently project a gummed strip across the path of movement at theend of the carton, and a wiper to wipe the strip against the end of thecarton comprising an arm yieldingly maintained in the path of movementof the carton and positively operated in sequence with the movement ofthe carton to prevent undue obstruction of the movement of the carton.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means foradvancing an article, means for applying a gummed strip thereto, astripfeeding mechanism,- said means comprising a magazine for thestrips, a picker for delivering 130 from the magazine a single strip ata time, means actuated by the article moving through the machine foractuating said picker, and continuously operating feed mechanism foradvancing the strip from the picker to a point adjacent the path ofmovement of the article.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means foradvancing an article, means for applying a gummed strip thereto, astripfeeding mechanism, said means comprising a magazine for the strips,2. picker for delivering from the magazine a single strip at a time,means actuated by the article moving through the machine for actuatingsaid picker, continuously opperating feed mechanism for advancing thestrip i from the picker to a point adjacent the path of movement of thearticle, and a continuously operated gumming mechanism arranged adjacentsaid continuously operated feed-mechanism to apply gum to said strip asadvanced thereby.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means foradvancing an article, means for applying a gummed strip to said article,said means comprising a strip-feeding and gumming mechanism and arotating brush a vertically movable member supporting said brushadjacent the path of movement of the upper face of said article inposition to apply the strip thereto, and means operating in sequencewith the article-advancing means for vertically moving said brush acrossthe rear end of the article to apply said strip thereto.

5. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor for advancingarticles through the machine, said conveyor comprising spacedarticle-engaging members, means for applying a gummed strip to the upperface of said article while being advanced by said conveyor, means toshift said article-engaging members out of engagement with the articleto thereby stop the movement of said article and means for applying theend of the strip to the rear end of the article while it is stationary.

6. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor for advancingarticles through the machine, said conveyor comprising spacedarticle-engaging members, means for applying a gummed strip to the upperface of said article while being advanced by said conveyor, means toshift said article-engaging members out of engagement with the articleto thereby stop the movement of said article, means for applying the endof the strip to the rear end of the article while it is stationary, saidmeans comprising a brush, means for reciprocating the brush across therear end of the article, and means for rotating the brush during suchreciprocation.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of astrip-feeding and gumming mechanism, a conveyor for feeding articlesthrough said machine, said conveyor having movable articleengagingmembers, means for advancing the gummed strip into position to beapplied to the beneath said brush, and means for applying the strip tothe rear end thereof while in position beneath said brush.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of anarticle-feeding mechanism, means for applying a gummed strip thereto,and means for feeding a strip to said applying means, said meanscomprising a magazine, a suction roller mounted beneath saidmagazi'neand means for oscillating said suction roller and simultaneouslyshifting said magazine horizontally across said suction roller.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of anarticle-feeding mechanism, means for applying a gummed strip thereto,means for feeding a strip to said applying means, said means comprisinga magazine, a suction roller mounted beneath said magazine, means forreciprocating said magazine across the top of said suction roller and arack on said magazine, and an intermeshing gear on said suction rollerwhereby the reciprocation of the magazine effects the oscillation of theroller.

10.,In a machine of the class described, the combination of anarticle-feeding mechanism, means for applying a gummed strip thereto andmeans for feeding a strip to said applying means, said means comprisinga magazine mounted for horizontal reciprocation, a strip-deliverymechanism controlled by the reciprocation of said magazine and meanscontrolled by the passage of articles through the machine for effectingthe reciprocation ofthe magazine.

CORNELIUS T. BRAREN.

